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Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
  • Kadi Kaljuste
  • Brad Ciccarelli
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  • Kadi Kaljuste
  • Brad Ciccarelli

Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.

Touring Morocco, road trip in Spain, trekking gorillas in Rwanda, visiting our friends Geraldine and Thomas in South Africa, and a couple of nights in Frankfurt on the way home Read more
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    🇲🇦 Timtig, Morocco
    Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    Tamegroute library
    Exploring TamegrouteFootball match in progressA community oven for bread bakingOur tour leader HichamThe pottery coopApplying cobalt glazeA potterThe pottery wheel is ground level. He sits underground!😮Same. He's sitting undergroundThe ovens used for baking the potteryDonkeys are commonly usedThe green cobalt glazeOur hotel💔Walking around the incredibly dry areaAlfalfa growing but the date palms are dryWheat growing thanks to a wellNot sure if these are chives, scallions or green onions. So dry.

    Tamegroute and Zagora

    Today in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After breakfast, we drove back through the Sahara Desert and stopped at the small 16th century town of Tamegroute known for its library and ceramics. We watched members of a cooperative of families at work. It’s particularly famous for its green pottery using cobalt glaze. The coop continues to make pottery in a traditional, gruelling way.

    From there, we drove to the oasis town of Zagora, had lunch, checked into our hotel which was just in time for us to watch the men’s hockey Olympic gold medal game. (Thank you CBC Gem!) What a heartbreaker.

    We’re in the Drâa region which is centred around the Drâa River, the longest river in Morocco. The area has faced 14 years of drought out of the last 23. Few plots were planted as we walked around the area.

    We’re staying in having a quiet night at the hotel tonight.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    "Water is a treasure here. Use it with moderation and respect."
    Off-roading in the SaharaGazelleOstrichesAt our glamping campTea poured by our tour leader HichamPoisonous but prettyView of our camp from our walkClimbing the dunesWe made it!Took a picture of our tour leader when he wasn't lookingThe sunset was 👌🏻After dinner

    Glamping in Erg Chigaga

    Yesterday ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    This morning we travelled about four hours through the Draa Valley towards the Sahara. After lunch, we abandoned our van and the group split up to venture into the desert in 4x4s, making our way to the great dunes of Erg Chigaga. We settled into our desert camp and set off on a walk in the Sahara, the world’s largest desert. We were there for sunset. Magical.

    We enjoyed a traditional dinner back at the camp and gathered around a fire beneath the stars for an evening of traditional music.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    At the Garden in Marrakech
    1Stop along the way to admire the Atlas MountainsThe van that's our chariot2The receipt for my fine. Not a souvenir I anticipated.Changing landscapeOur riadOur roomThe walls are mudbrickSpotted en route to the villageThe village. We climbed to the top1FilmographyVillage in the backgroundUpwardOn topBack to the riadCamel crossingAnd horsesA bit of Moroccan wineSundowners with some of our group

    Bye, Marrakesh. Hello, Aït Ben Haddou

    February 20 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    This morning we visited the ornate 12th-century Majorelle Gardens, once owned by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. It was a zen way to end our visit to bustling Marrakesh.

    Next, we drove to Aït Ben Haddou, an ancient mud-brick settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

    It was a four hour drive so we stopped for lunch along the way. We got back into our van and were settling in. I was sitting right at the back getting organized and had not yet put on my seat belt. Our leader had told us that gendarmes often randomly stop vehicles for seat belt checks.

    Well, wouldn’t you know it, within a few minutes of driving away from the restaurant we’re stopped and I’m asked to get out of the van, provide my passport and pay 300 Moroccan dirham on the spot. That’s about $45 Canadian. Our tour leader tried to explain that we had just pulled out of the restaurant parking lot but they’d have none of it. Fair enough. So I paid the fine.

    We arrived at our hotel which is an incredible mud-brick riad. From there, we explored the ksar, or fortified village where scenes from the Game of Thrones series, Lawrence of Arabia, Babel, Gladiator and the soon-to-be-released Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey were shot. The kasbah still houses a few families, but many now live in the adjacent
    village. The pictures tell the story of the landscape.

    It was sunset as we returned to the riad and we joined our group on the rooftop for sundowners before our group dinner.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    Bahia Palace
    Bird's eye viewThe detailIn the Medina sukThe Secret GardenView of the garden from a balconyDonkey carts in the market are commonplace1The restaurant in a riad where we'll cook our lunch and then eat itReady!1Hair net and gloves....😆Notice our yawning instructorThe tagine ready to be cookedApple and cabbage saladPeppers and tomatoesEggplant and tomatoesTada! Unveiling our tagineServing the tagine1SpicesGrinding argan for oil. Roasted argan oil (left) is for eating. Natural on the right is for beauty.Dinner spot1It was stunning

    Marrakesh Medina

    February 19 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Today we went back to the Old City which is surrounded by 19 km of walls. Marrakesh was Morocco’s capital in 12th and again in the 16th century. Today, it’s the country’s most visited tourist destination.

    We visited the Bahia Palace, 150 rooms on eight hectares from the late 19th century. It was the home of the prime minister and his four wives. When the French invaded in 1912, they turned the property into offices. It was impressive and the ceilings were especially spectacular.

    From there we went on to walk around the market area of the Medina and to visit the Secret Garden. The garden was established in the late 16th century and was restored and opened to visitors in 2016. It was a lovely green oasis in the busy Medina.

    We then went for a cooking lesson and made our own lunch! The menu? Three different salads and a chicken tagine. Delicious.

    We now had free time so Brad and I wandered around the Medina for a while before taking a taxi back to our hotel for a rest before going out to dinner at a beautiful restaurant nearby called Azar.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    Minaret in the old city
    The squareDinner time1Forgot to take a picture before we ate🤣1Our tour leader front left and our travel companions131

    Hello, Marrakesh/Marrakech

    February 18 in Morocco ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We left Fez this morning and drove about six hours to Marrakech. (There are two spellings; both are right.) It’s a city of about 1.5 million and was established in 1070. It’s known as the red city because the buildings in the old city are built from red sandstone.

    Once we arrived in the city, our guide spotted a liquor/wine store that was open so we could stock up on alcoholic beverages before Ramadan starts tomorrow and alcohol won’t be sold. We picked up a few bottles of wine and beer.

    We checked in to our hotel and had a couple of hours to relax before setting off to Jemaa el-Fnaa, a square in the old Medina. In 2001, it was proclaimed an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, and in 2008 it was included in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

    We arrived there at sunset as the buskers were packing up. We’re coming back tomorrow so we’ll get to see them then. It’s a lively environment reminiscent of a midway or fair. We made our way to one of the casual traditional restaurants for dinner. Looking forward to returning in daylight tomorrow.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    The palace gates
    The Jewish Quarter1There is a plan to restore more of the buildings2Little person doorView of the old city. About 150,000 people live here.The "blue gate" to the old cityCeramic paintingPreparing tiles for mosaics1Making a mosaic. The pattern is faced down.Finished products2Some of the alleyways are so narrow you almost need to walk sidewaysCoppersmithCamel butcherShark headsA community ovenDying service. These are jeans.Oldest continuously operating university in the world3In the dorm window at a madrasaOur group at the madrasa2A mosque with a cat greeter2The tannery operates still using traditional methodsDye vatsThe workers stand in the vats in hip wadersThe smells are strong. We here given a sprig of mint to sniffCalligraphy workshopOur names in Arabic at the top; Brad's on the left and mine on the right

    Old City of Fez

    February 17 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    We had a jampacked tour of Fez today concentrating on the Old City of Fez, primarily known as Fès el-Bali, a 9th-century UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest car-free urban area. It’s a dense, labyrinth filled with medieval architecture, bustling souks, traditional tanneries, and historic madrasas.

    We started out at the gates of the King’s Palace. Like the palace in Casablanca, it’s closed to the public. Built in the 13/14th century, the palace is still in use and has been updated over the years. It now even includes an 18-hole golf course. The same family has ruled Morocco since 1666. The present King was educated in France and is seen as progressive having married a commoner. His wife is also the first ever to be seen in public.

    Next, we toured the Jewish Quarter which at one time had a population of about 20,000.

    We moved on to the heart of the old city dating from the 9th century. It’s a maze of more than 9,000 narrow alleyways. We were grateful we had a guide! Within its walls is Al Quaraouiyine Mosque, the world’s longest continuously operating university established in 857.

    The old city has also retained its artisan community including mosaic and ceramic makers, coppersmiths, and the Chouara Tannery, a historic, 11th-century tannery that still operates using traditional methods. It was jaw-dropping, like a living museum.

    Our final activity was attending a calligraphy workshop where we learned about the art of Arabic calligraphy.

    After a long, busy day we had a restful evening in.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    In Meknes
    The music museumMuseum garden1Narrow streets of the Medina1Roman ruins Volubilis in the distance2Brad as a bustWe had tea made for us at the women's organization.

    Meknès, Volubilis and Fez

    February 16 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We set off early this morning to visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites. First, we visited the medieval city of Meknès, which served as Morocco’s imperial capital in the 17th century. It was built by Sultan Moulay Ismail who, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, fathered 888 children — the highest number of offspring for anyone throughout history that can be verified.

    Our visit began with a tour of Dar Jamai: The National Museum of Music. From there we carried on to Bab Mansour historic landmark, and 18th-century Bab El Khmiss, the
    ornamental gate to the city. We also walked the narrow streets of the Medina.

    Next, we drove to Volubilis to see the
    soaring columns and preserved mosaic floors of this ancient Roman outpost. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

    Our final visit for the day was to AFER Association for lunch. AFER benefits rural Moroccan women and children who are facing challenges from divorce, disability or being widowed.

    The association provides literacy and vocational training, health
    services, disability assistance, and the operation of a local ambulance. AFER’s training center hosts culinary programs and each year graduates 30 students. We met the founder and some of the beneficiaries. AFER is supported by G Adventures, the Toronto-based tour company with which we’re travelling. An inspiring visit.

    We drove on to Fez, checked into our hotel and took a little walk around the neighbourhood. We’ll explore the city tomorrow.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    The mosque minaret
    The mosque outdoor area accommodates 80,000Murano glass chandeliersLight peeping through the retractable roofSpeakers are discreetly built into the columnsBrad in silhouetteRepairs in preparation for RamadanLower level washing areaThe tapsThe Atlantic Ocean is behind the mosqueThe cornicheLots of graffiti and murals along the walkButcher in the old MedinaNarrow lanesChickensVegetable vendorCats are EVERYWHERE1Evening clock tower viewOld Medina at night

    More Casablanca and joining our tour

    February 15 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Another relaxed breakfast time and then off to the Hassan II Mosque, the third largest in the world. We had a guided tour which was rich with stats. It took six years and 2,500 workers to complete and is built on landfill. It can accommodate 25,000 inside, 80,000 outside. At 200 metres long, a hundred metres wide, 65 metres high the dimensions total 365, the number of days of the year.

    Its marble and granite are from Morocco while its 57 chandeliers are from Murano, Italy. It has a heated floor, a retractable roof and 360 speakers. The lower level hall for washing before prayer has 350 taps, 58 small fountains but no towels. Mind blowing.

    The mosque is situated on the Atlantic Ocean and at the start of the city’s corniche/waterfront. It was sunny and about 16 degrees Celsius, perfect for walking its four kilometres.

    From there we meandered back to our hotel through the old Medina to rest before meeting our G Adventures National Geographic Journeys tour leader and fellow travellers for a meeting about the two weeks ahead.

    At the meeting, we learned our leader is from Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and has been a leader for about a decade. Our travel companions are two other Canadian couples, two couples and a single man from the U.S. and a woman from Switzerland. (Good to have Switzerland in the mix😉)

    We went to dinner with the leader and the singletons at a traditional Moroccan restaurant. The other travellers took a pass since we’re on the road tomorrow from 7:15 a.m.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    Cafe seats face out and men sit there watching women.
    The palace areaAnother stealth photo of the palace areaThe soukThe oldest bakery in CasablancaThe tile entryway was spectacularIt was so busy. There is a further room that was packed.1The lovely man who gave us one of his pastries3Olives!A tramway attendant guided us through the process and walked us to our stop.2On the tram2The fish marketCleaning our squid we'll have for lunch1Walking our seafood to the restaurantDinner timeThe menuThe view from our terrace tableBrad chose a Moroccan wine, appropriately named tandem❤️61Amuse bouche1Appetizer2EntreesDessert4Brad's a good sport

    Exploring + Valentine’s dinner

    February 14 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We didn’t have any set schedule today, so had a leisurely breakfast and then set out walking to a neighbourhood called Habbous, also known as New Medina. It’s packed with open-air markets or souks where you can bargain for clothes, fabrics, and Moroccan staples like olives and dried fruits. The king’s palace is in the area too.

    We decided to start with the king’s palace area. Our guide yesterday had told us that the palace is strictly off-limits. As we approached the area, it became obvious that it was well guarded with guard booths every 50 m. As soon as I held up my camera, I’d get a wave with a wagged finger from the guards. I did manage to capture a stealth photo or two of the area.

    We found the market area and did a fair bit of exploring there. We visited the oldest bakery in the city but the line was long so we bailed. As we walked along, we saw a couple with a pastry box from a different bakery and asked where it was and what they’d bought. In a flash, the man opened the box insisting we take one! So lovely.

    Next stop was to visit the Central Market in another area of the city. It’s famous for its fresh fish and seafood and the attached restaurants which will immediately cook whatever you purchased at the market. That would be our lunch. Casablanca has a sleek tramway so we took the tram to the market.

    Once we entered Central Market, we were quickly swarmed by people asking to cook whatever we bought. We chose a woman, bought some squid and shrimps, had it cleaned and followed her to the adjoining restaurant. It was terrific.

    Following lunch, we walked around the area and then headed back to our hotel to have a bit of a rest before our Valentine’s dinner reservation at Dar Dada. I had made the reservation a few weeks ago before leaving home. Dar Dada is one of Casablanca‘s best restaurants, known for its classic Moroccan cuisine with a contemporary spin. It’s also situated in a renovated riad. I didn’t find out until yesterday that they have entertainment as well.

    The restaurant was as beautiful as we imagined, and the food was delicious. And the entertainment? A violinist and belly dancers! Such fun.    Read more

  • Morocco, Spain, Rwanda + S.A.
    It was windy and overcast
    Sacre Coeur CathedralInside the cathedralIt did rain for a bitIt clear why locals call it "Pigeon Square"A woman selling bird feedStreet vendor making us a snackThe secret sauce? Moroccan Nutella, a mixture of almonds and honey1Yum!In the art deco French areaImpressive display from a street vendorClock towerGates to MarakeshWhere in orange territory1SynagogueSome entertainmentMosqueSynagogueChurch42Rick's Cafe recreation2Saw lots of stray cats

    Hello, Casablanca!

    February 13 in Morocco ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Following a good overnight flight, we arrived in Casablanca mid morning and transferred to our hotel by noon. Not surprisingly, our room wasn’t ready so we decided to hang out in the lobby in the hopes that one would be ready soon. We were fortunate and by 1 o’clock we were in a room and able to take a short nap before joining a Guru Walk at 3:45.

    Morocco was ruled by France from 1912 to 1956. As a result, there is evidence of that period in the architecture as well as the sidewalk cafés. French is also the second official language after Moroccan Arabic..

    Our guide Yahya led six of us (a couple from Australia, another from Spain and us) . We started out from Sacre Coeur Cathedral and visited The Arab League Park, Mohammed V Square, known as pigeon square to the locals as well as to numerous other sites.

    Our tour ended at Rick's Café, inspired by the fictional café featured in the 1942 film "Casablanca" It opened in 2004 and was designed to recreate in reality the set of the bar made famous by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It’s a tourist trap and we had no desire to go in.

    Following the tour we had a light dinner at our hotel and relaxed after a full day.    Read more

  • Trip start
    February 12, 2026
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